Do the orchard soils of the Mount Desert Island region harbor residuals of historical arsenical pesticides use?

Slamova, Lenka; Feher, Adam; Hall, Sarah; Farrell, Anna; Disney, Jane

From the abstract: "Long-term low level exposure to arsenic is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, several cancers, and developmental issues in children. As a known public health concern, especially for the New England region, it is crucial that we study arsenic in Maine to better understand the pathways of ingestion and exposure. Metasedimentary bedrock in New England is a known source of arsenic in soils and well water; surface soils in agricultural areas also may have been contaminated due to the extensive use of arsenical pesticides during the first half of the twentieth century. We investigated the near-surface soils in old apple orchards on the northern part of Mount Desert Island and two previously farmed properties in Trenton, ME to determine concentrations of arsenic and other metals. Small family orchards revealed arsenic levels similar to the Maine average suggesting there are no residuals of arsenical pesticides present. One larger orchard revealed elevated levels of arsenic in the soil, however the drilled well on the property yielded very low levels of arsenic. This suggests to us that the arsenic in the soil at this site may have come from pesticide use in the past rather than by weathering products of the local bedrock. Wells located in Trenton ME, a region where pesticide use was likely, revealed soil arsenic levels above background and elevated arsenic in drilled wells and low to trace amounts in dug wells. The source of the arsenic at these sites may be related to prior pesticide use, but it is also likely to be related to the underlying metasedimentary bedrock. As part of the larger NIH SEPA “All About Arsenic” project, which engages teachers and students as citizen scientists in well water monitoring, this pilot study developed methods for soil sampling and processing to be used by middle and high school students in a related citizen science project called “Orchards, Gardens, and Fields”. We will present our initial findings from the soil and water surveys of MDI and Trenton properties as well as the methods developed and next steps of the citizen science project."

Do the orchard soils of the Mount Desert Island region harbor residuals of historical arsenical pesticides use?

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